Samsung preps digital music download service

Allows it to compete with Apple's iPod, apparently

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Samsung is to follow Apple and Sony and launch its own online content download service to promote its digital music players.

The revelation was made on Friday by Choi Ji-Sung, the head of the company’s digital media division, South Korean newspaper the Chosun Ilboreports.

Choi said the service will be launched domestically and overseas shortly, though no firmer timetable was given. Choi gave no other details, but the service is likely to be founded on Windows Media technology, leaving Samsung competing against the likes of Napster, Virgin Digital, HMV and Yahoo! Music.

It's also up against Sony's Connect service, although that's one based on Sony's own technology.

Choi indicated that the motivation behind the service's launch will be to allow the company to compete more effectively with Apple's iPod. Samsung's players, he said, are better than Apple's, though Apple has sold many, many more digital music devices than Samsung has. He appears to believe that will change when a Samsung-branded content service launches.

"Considering that Samsung's market share is bigger than Apple's in Asian countries and that the iTunes service is not offered in the region, except in Japan, we definitely have a competitive edge there," Choi said. ®